Seas of Change
by KanaRenee
Summary: While returning from an overseas trip, the ship Juvia is on is attacked by pirates, and she is taken hostage. However, the pirates are not what they appear and Captain Gray is just as enticing as he is insufferably mysterious. What is Juvia to do? [GRUVIA] [AU] [MATURE CONTENT LATER]
1. Red Sky at Morning

**Author's Note:** This is an AU Pirate story. There will be some liberties taken in order to fit the characters to the story, but I am going to do my best to keep them minimal so as not to take away from the story as a whole. I hope you like it, Maria!

**Seas of Change**

_**Chapter 1: Red Sky at Morning**_

Fog sat over the ocean, concealing the red and pinks of the sunrise in a salty mist. Juvia continued leaning on the ledge of the ship, eyes closed as she focused on the feel of early morning ocean spray along her skin. The creaking of the ship and lapping of waves were comforting sounds in the stillness. Most of the crew remained asleep in the cabins except for the cooks who bustled below deck to prepare breakfast for shiphands and guests.

Her early morning routine was a genuine break from the hustle and bustle of a passenger ship. Once the crew awoke, the noise would not stop until well after dark. Everyone on the ship had a different destination, all of them strangers and yet somehow a moving community of equals on their own island amongst the waves. The same troubles that plagued neighbors on land were the same out at sea, except in the mornings when it was still too early and chill for most of the elite aboard to venture from the warmth of their coal heated chambers.

"Pardon me, miss." A chambermaid stopped beside her, holding out a shawl. "Aren't you chilled? It's too early for someone the likes of you to be out on the deck, milady."

She shook her head. "Thank you, but Juvia feels best at this time. It's peaceful."

"I wouldn't want you to catch cold."

The woman pushed the shawl toward her once more, and out of kindness Juvia took hold of it with a nod. The shawl remained in her grip as she glanced toward what would have been the horizon, though she made no motion to put it on.

"Isn't there a saying about foggy mornings that light up the red of a sunset?" Juvia asked. "A sailor's principle."

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morning, sailor's warning." The chambermaid responded. "Though we are sailing the safest sea route known to man, I doubt it holds any weight. Will you be off at the next stop, milady?"

She nodded. "Yes. Juvia has made this trip before, just not so close to winter."

"You have not seen winter at sea." The chambermaid responded, a hand positioned on her wide hip. "The decks become icy and we have to wear special boots just to make it from the kitchen to the cabins! The masts will cling to the posts, and the icebergs…"

"Icebergs?"

The woman glanced behind her, then to the opposite side of the ship before she lifted her hand. "There, milady."

Juvia turned her attention to the starboard side, catching a glimpse of what appeared to be a mound of creamy mashed potatoes, red gravy and butter filtered over top far out to sea. The sun gleamed off the top of the ice, giving a soft glow to what would have otherwise been a jagged danger. It floated silently a few hundred yards off, but the idea of one so close still caused her heart to leap. Juvia walked across the deck to the opposite side of the ship, wind flipping the loose tresses of her hair as she leaned over the banister, glancing in each direction.

She had heard stories of sailors seemingly sailing a safe distance, only to discover below deck they had scraped invisible edges of ice that torn through the hull, the way a ship would fill to one end first, tilt up, and break in half before sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Juvia was not afraid of the water or the cold, but to be stranded in the middle of the ocean with no means of reaching land or shelter… there were few other things she could imagine that would be as lonely a way to die.

Her true fear was loneliness. Juvia had made this trip on this same ship many times before, and always ended up back where she was headed now—at the orphanage, awaiting the next adoption and child she was to escort. The orphanage was the same in which she grew up and never found a home, but Juvia had taken it upon herself to ensure the other children had their chance at a happy life with a loving family. The adoption rates had gone up extraordinarily since she began her voyages in search of needing families; she had convinced herself the smiles of each child were enough to make up for what she had never been able to have.

"Don't fret so." The chambermaid met her at the side. "Captain will let nothing happen to his ship. We are not near the ice fields."

"The crows nest can see, despite the fog?"

"An iceberg is a hard to miss." The maid responded. She set a hand on Juvia's shoulder and pushed her back toward the cabins. "Rest for a bit, will you?"

"But Miss—"

"My name is Imelda, and compared to you, I am no miss. I'll be sure to send someone with extra coals for your room."

* * *

><p>Juvia smoothed the edges of her purple gown, admiring herself in the full length molded mirror attached to the back of the cabin door. The fancy dinners onboard were not her usual foray, but tonight the crew promised dolphin and whale watching at sunset from the main deck and she did not want to miss it. Turning her head, Juvia inspected that each gold pin holding her sapphire hair up was in place and tight, protruding only slightly to show the pearls attached to each end.<p>

Satisfied that she was dressed as close to appropriately as possible, she left the cabin and proceeded to the main deck. This time she was glad to have brought along a shawl; the air had chilled considerably with the onset of twilight, though the deck was packed with travelers and seamen. She squeezed her way along the pathway to a mostly open table, gestured minutely and sat once she was given the permission of the other guests. Candles lit the surface of the deck, lanterns up high on the mast poles and upper deck, contrasting sharply with the plum colored starlight on the east.

"Have you seen any dolphins yet?" Juvia asked the others at her table. "Juvia hopes we haven't missed them."

The gentleman shook his head, caught a bit off guard at her speech pattern. "The staff assured us we will get our sights worth for the trouble of the chill—they may not surface until after sunset."

The woman lifted a glass of wine to her lips, nodding in agreement with who Juvia could only assume was her husband. The warmth of the drink seemed to sooth any frustration the lady would have had about the cold; Juvia found her own cup being filled not long after by a cabin boy nearly five inches too short. He refused Juvia's offer to pour her own, and bowed regally before walking away.

"Are you traveling alone?" the woman asked, motioning for Juvia to lift her own glass and partake of the fermented drink.

"Juvia is." Juvia responded, lifting her glass in politeness. "Juvia know it is unusual, but she work for an orphanage and is on her way back from chaperoning a child to their new family."

"How noble." She responded, a light smile flowing over her face. Whether it was because she had warmed to the idea of a woman traveling alone or the onset of drink, Juvia could not tell. "I imagine that is quite lonely."

_It is_, Juvia wanted to say. Instead she titled her head, took a sip of wine, and responded, "Juvia has been doing it for so long, it feels natural and right; though she does miss the children when they go."

"Have you no husband?" the man inquired, his free hand falling to the arm of the woman at his side.

"Juvia is unmarried, sir." She responded.

He frowned. "Have you thought of changing your speech pattern? It is a little off putting, that may help."

Her smile wavered a bit, but the insult was something she was used to. "Juvia is sorry, she has always spoken this way."

"Ignore him." The woman said, swatting her husband's hand away. "Men do not understand good company when they see it, speech patterns or not."

Before Juvia could respond, kitchen staff proceeded onto the deck with plates of decadent food. Large roasted chickens, plum sauce, piles of honey rosemary roasted carrots and loaves of sweetened rolls were presented to each guest, piled high on their plates with a bowl of broth for dipping and palate cleanse. Glasses of wine were replaced with warm ale for those who requested it, and the band on the top deck began playing enjoyable light tunes to entertain the guests. Juvia pulled her cloth napkin down to her lap before lifting a fork to begin eating.

"There!"

A loud splash interrupted the dinner party, followed by a rocking of the ship. Juvia turned her attention in the direction of the splash, spying a whale flipping out of the water and landing back first back into the ocean. Juvia had always known whale were large creatures, but this particular one was a behemoth; drawings and size comparisons in notebooks and almanacs could not capture the grandeur of seeing something so awe-inspiring in its natural space. The whale was met with two others, the pod dwarfing the size of their ship.

With childlike enthusiasm, Juvia rushed from her table to the edge of the ship for a closer look. The whales were circling, lifting slowly to take breath before diving under once more, reappear several yards away in leaping grace. She watched their silhouettes below the unusual calm of the water, gliding with speed unusual for a creature of their size. They twirled about one another before coming to a quick halt.

The muted noises of their wailing bubbled from below the surface before they turned, taking quick breath together before diving under the ship. It rocked roughly with the wave and lifting of the whales, and Juvia held tight as her feet lost their balance. Plates and tables shifted and crashed to the floor, guests falling into an uproar. The shouts of the crew were loud, speaking of the rudder and the anchor, pulling to port, getting eyes in the crows nest—Juvia looped her arm about the banister to pull her body up as the ship righted once more.

The sun had set quickly, only a small sliver of pink showing where it had once been, the twilight waning into night; the bustle of the guests quickly turned from panic to anger, stating the danger they had been put in for the show of whales. Chambermaids and deckhands tried to calm the guests, and Juvia watched on silently. The creatures were not at fault, and neither was the ships crew; nature was unpredictable.

"Pirates!"

The warning came from high on the main mast, a dead silence falling over the people on the ship. Juvia could feel the ship take a sharp turn in the same direction as the whales, eyes flowing widely along the horizon. There were no ships she could see in the dark, but by the reactions of the crew she knew something was wrong.

_ Red sky in morning, sailor's warning._

"Miss!" it was Imelda, taking strong hold of Juvia's arm. "It isn't safe on deck, you must go below!"

Just Imelda turned to take Juvia toward the cabins, the ship lurched with a loud crack; two of the sails crashed through the deck to the second floor, taking with it tables, food and a few guests. The woman tugged Juvia below the ship's edging and scrollwork, covering her head with an emptied tin bowl meant for salad.

"Imelda-san…?" Juvia inquired, her voice shaking only slightly with the pounding in her chest.

Cannon balls burst overhead, crashing near the ship and causing water to flow up over the railing and onto the guests still struggling to get to safe ground and life boats. Imelda pushed Juvia onto her hands and knees, directing her to crawl to the stairwell that led to the upper deck. Juvia did as commanded, hands slipping in the white wash and dress sagging and gaining weight with each motion. They crawled behind the stairwell, safe behind the thick wood as bombs and debris flew through the majestic edgings of the ship.

Guests and crew alike fell from the edges as water bubbled from the hole in the center of the deck, washing up with it belongings and bodies of those who had fallen with the initial attack.

The chambermaid handed Juvia a pan. "You keep these on you, miss. You will need something to protect you."

"I can take care of myself, shouldn't we be fighting instead of hiding?"

"The best hope we have now, milady, is that the ship will sink faster than they can get to us and we have managed to get on a life boat." She answered shortly. "Pirates do not care what the ship has, so long as it has something of value—rich guests are of value."

"I'm not going to sit back here while people get hurt!"

Juvia's outburst caught Imelda off guard, the pair kneeling in a standstill of wills. Juvia removed the bowl from her head and set the pot aside, pushing them toward the woman with a grateful smile.

"Imelda-san, Juvia appreciates your care. Take care of yourself; Juvia will do the same."

"Miss…"

Juvia smiled as she stood, peeking around the stairwell in time to see the pirate ship aligning itself upon starboard side. Deep navy sails fluttered with the wind, a flag of black, blue and white waving high in the air. Grappling hooks imbedded themselves in the woodwork, the cries of men and women erupting through the crashing of cannons and waves.

"Let Juvia take you to a lifeboat, Imelda-san." She reached for the other woman's hand, pulling her once more to her feet and side stepping as best she could on the bent and sinking ship.

They pulled themselves along, using the doors as stepping stools and kicking tables and chairs behind them to fend off anyone attempting to board the ship. On port side the life boats were filling up quickly, seamen pushing guests, children and the ship maids in until capacity, cutting the boats lines and allowing them to drop unceremoniously into the darkened ocean. Juvia pulled Imelda forward, pushing her toward the closest crew member.

"Imelda! Where have you been? Hurry up, there isn't much time!" he said, pulling her along. Imelda turned, reaching for Juvia in the same motion. "Don't worry, we will get her too. You did good."

Juvia stood, moving to take the offered hand when the boat suddenly jerked. Men toppled over and she took hold of the closest railing to keep her footing. The lifeboats rocked, screams of frightened guests erupting into the night. One hung half attached, people clinging to whatever they could to keep on the boat and out of the icy water. She cringed, pulling herself up rail by rail until she could reach the knot that separated them from freedom. Reaching out, her fingers kept falling just short of the line.

All it would take was one good pull…

Juvia pressed her dampened boots and soggy dress to the corner of the deck and edge of the rounded staircase, one hand on the side of the ships railing, and pushed herself forward in a leap. She took hold of the rope and swung along with it, the weight of her body pulling the knot free as she hit into the wooden floor. Her body rolled along the deck until the ship corrected it's lean once more, slamming back first into the fallen mast leaning its weight on the deck.

In pain she pulled herself back into a crouch, glancing at her surrounding through sapphire blue locks of hair; she hadn't noticed it had come undone during the attack. Pirates filtered onto ship with swords and guns, ripping through the cabins and throwing the remainder of the crew around without much care. She pulled herself around the mast as close to the edge of the hole as possible, looking for anything she could use as a weapon.

She didn't think about what would happen if she did manage to get away from the sinking ship alive, or how she would make her way back to shore. At the moment, everything Juvia did was instinct; she reached for a large splinter of wood with a sharp edge, ignoring the splinters that pressed through her palm.

Turning toward the battle, a burly man came upon her quickly, his sword lifted to swipe down on her. Juvia dropped into a crouch and pushed her body forward, using the angle of the ship to push the man off balance as she pressed into him with the wooden shank aimed toward his knees. The man toppled, and she toppled with him, managing to push him off the edge of the ship and keep herself on the deck.

"A woman?"

The voice was loud as another pirate, this one smaller, came barreling toward her. She twisted out of the way and let him slam into the ship rail, pulling herself away. Another took hold of her arm and yanked her upright. Juvia kicked out at him, her skirts heavy and impeding her movements.

"Let Juvia go!"

"You aren't going anywhere, doll." The man said, turning her to face him. Orange colored locks of hair stuck out from the crude wrap he placed around his head, his breath stunk of rum. "This isn't a cargo ship—where were you all headed?"

Juvia used her proximity to her advantage, stomping firmly with the heel of her boot onto his foot. The man yelped, his grip loosening enough for Juvia to pull away and take his sword at the same time. The steel was heavy and not something she was used to carrying; it took all of her strength to hold the weapon upright and appear threatening in any sense of the word.

"You—"

Juvia moved to swing the sword, but her motions were slowed and caught by another man from behind. He held the sword from the blunt side, pulling Juvia toward him and away from the other man. Her eyes bore into his tall, burly frame, fighting to pull the sword out of his grip and back into her own. He laughed.

"Gihihihi." He pulled hard, yanking the sword out of her grasp and across the ship. "Feisty as hell, aren't you?"

Juvia moved to kick him as well, but instead found herself face first on the wet deck, arm pinned behind her back by his weight. She struggled and he pressed a hand into her hair, forcing her head flat against the floor as the ship rocked. Juvia tugged, but the combined pressure of his hands and body along with the weight of her soaked dress kept her pinned well enough to the floor.

"Gajeel, that's enough." Juvia couldn't see who was speaking, his voice was calm and deep, and it commanded respect.

"Captain, she just about beat the shit out of Loke—"

"I had it under control! I may be fickle for women, but they lose their charm quick when they attack."

The man on her back stood up, pulling her with him. Hair plastered to the wet skin on her face, Juvia lowered her brows and tried to appear as fierce as she could; it wasn't easy. The man in front of her was lean and shirtless, a large blue hat with a feather over his dark hair, eyes dark and calculating. There was no malice in his expression, though she could tell he was used to being heeded and not questioned by the way his arms crossed over his chest while he looked her over.

"Take her back to the ship."

"A hostage?" the one named Loke asked, confused by the direction given.

"Did I stutter?"

"Juvia is not going with you!" she tugged, pulled, and found her chest pressed forward by the weight of the pirate standing behind her. She stomped her feet, hoping that somewhere was another foot that would give way and let her loose.

The man in front of her closed his eyes and walked past them, not bothering to respond to her protests.

"The ship is ours. Take the girl and the loot. We'll celebrate once it's 20 leagues under."


	2. Handsome Captor

**Author's Note:** Thank you all for your support! I hope this chapter does not disappoint.

**Seas of Change**

_**Chapter 2: Handsome Captor**_

Noise on the _Frozen Banshee_, as Juvia found out, was far louder than any passenger ship she had ever sailed on. The ruckus coming from on and below deck shook the walls of ship harder than the waves as they pushed further into northern waters. She glared at the door that kept her locked away from the rancor; how could anyone be so happy about what they had just done? Every person on that ship was innocent. How many of them were killed during the raid? How long would the others drift out at sea—would they be found, or would they go mad from the hopelessness? The expression in her eyes softened at the thought.

Had things gone different, Juvia could have been floating aimlessly in the Fiore sea; she could have died on deck at the hand of the pirates gallivanting over their victory. What had she been thinking, attacking back? There were far more of them than there were of her, all of them with more brute in strength than she could muster with all of her body, and without an ounce of conscience. What was she fighting to defend?

Juvia turned her hands palm up noticing for the first time they were bruised and filled with splinters from the board she had attacked the first pirate with. With the adrenaline and shock, she hadn't noticed how hard she had held it. If her hands looked that bad, she was sure there were bruises over the rest of her body from colliding with the deck.

She began picking the splinters out of her left palm, wincing in frustration as they pushed further into her skin instead of out.

"Here."

Juvia glanced up, surprised to find she wasn't alone. The man in front of her was still shirtless, though his hat had been tossed aside. He held out what appeared to be a warm cloth, having set two mugs on the table that separated them. His body was firm, slightly scarred and muscular, something under any other circumstance Juvia may have blushed over—her cheeks felt red, but she refused to believe it was for anything other than frustration. His face was just as beautiful as the rest of him, made of strong lines and topped with a mass of dark hair.

The coolness of his eyes was the only thing Juvia could not understand. Whatever was behind them he kept locked away.

She hesitated before taking the cloth, setting it between her palms to warm and relax the skin of her hands. The man took a seat opposite of her as he pulled a mug to his lips. The smell of rum was prevalent.

"Why not just leave Juvia on the ship?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her over his drink. "Where else would you have gone? Down with it?"

"The other passengers were not given the luxury of choice."

There was silence between them after that, until he reached for her hand and set it flat against the table. Juvia tried to pull away, but his grip was strong and her body was weakened from the adrenaline that had left her body after the raid. He pulled a needle from a box on the table, reaching for one of the splinters.

Juvia jerked.

"Stop moving." He commanded the same tone he had used to direct his men to take her prisoner. "You can't get these out on your own."

"Juvia doesn't need your help."

He kept his gaze on her open palm, pressing the needle precisely against her skin and removing the first splinter. "Do you want them out or not?"

When Juvia did not protest further, he continued with his work in silence. The sun-kissed color of his skin was stark in contrast to her own, his fingers calloused as he worked each sliver out. The cloth wiped after each turn as he paused to check for blood. Once the left hand was done, he reached for her right and continued. Juvia found herself easing out of tension, and in response his grip loosened.

"Who are you?" she whispered, confused by the conflicting sense of calm and anger.

Pirates weren't supposed to be gentle, were they? Juvia knew she should dislike him if for no other reason than he was the Captain, and he was the one who gave the orders that stranded so many innocent people at sea. It was his fault she was on the _Frozen Banshee_ instead of docking in Crocus and hopping on a train to pick up the next child who would find a home across the ocean. He seemed to feel no remorse for his actions, and yet he was treating her with a type of gentle care she was unaccustomed to.

"My name is Gray." He answered, removing the last slice of wood from beneath her skin.

"Gray?"

A loud bang resounded outside the cabin door, followed by hooting and loud chanting. Unconcerned, Gray's attention never left the bandage he began wrapping about her hand, despite the increase in volume. Juvia's muscles twitched in a cry to pull away and yet she found herself remaining still until he finished his work. Her skin missed the warmth of his palm once he pulled away. She flexed her fingers and inspected the work he had done—seven splinters, and only two had bled when they were removed. Her hands felt sore and swollen, but better.

"Drink." He pushed the extra mug across the table with his own. "It's been a long night. Wind down."

The comment sprung Juvia back to her situation—she was a captive, _Gray's_ prisoner. No amount of rum or medical care would change that. She could feel heat coming to her cheeks in a combination of shame and angry, stinging tears.

She pushed the drink back violently. "Juvia will have nothing you offer. She does not dine with murderers."

"You'll get hungry fast enough and change your mind." He responded. "We may be pirates, but we are not killers."

"Why did you attack the ship?" she countered, feeling her irritation rising with his cool demeanor.

How could he possibly not realize what he had done, the lives he had destroyed by ordering the attack? He was the captain; the order had to have come from him. How many had drowned? How many escaped? Even if he did not shoot the cannons himself, as the leader he was responsible.

The relaxed way his muscles moved as he took another drink without a care did things to Juvia she did not like, a mixture of anger and something else she was unfamiliar with.

Gray let out a long sigh. "It doesn't matter. We live at sea and we die by sea. You have to hunt to survive, and that is what we do. If we don't, we end up the same as your ship."

"We had nothing to give you!" Juvia cried, voice raising. "How can you be okay with that?"

He stood up. "I never said I was, I just said we didn't have a choice."

Before she could respond Gray had abandoned her at the table and walked toward the door. He pulled it open, a pink haired man stumbling in and crashing into a support beam. He cursed, rubbing his head before turning back toward him. Gray smirked.

"Natsu, you are an idiot."

"Hey! You shouldn't have brought a woman on board, they're bad luck!" he argued. "Like you don't get us in enough trouble as it is."

"No, that's you. And that's why you're first mate and not Captain."

Juvia watched the exchange, unnerved by how close the two men seemed. Natsu was animated, waving his hands around and making obscene gestures; Gray remained resolute, only cracking a grin and saying a few words in response. The natural way they interacted told her they were friends, despite the nature of the conversation.

"So you're just gonna leave her locked up in your cabins, huh?" Natsu finally said, gripping the scarf about his neck. "That why you had us take her back?"

"Idiot." Gray twitched, slapping Natsu on the back of head. "Where is she supposed to sleep, in the barracks?"

"Hey!" Natsu chased Gray out of the cabin, the door slamming behind him along with a slew of threats.

Juvia found herself alone once more, the noises of the ship moving further from the door. Despite having no chains or bonds to keep her in place, she did not move from the chair or table. There was no prison in the world more condemning than one at sea, where was nowhere to run. The further the noise moved from the room, the more alone she felt. She lifted her hands to her face, palms to her eyes.

For the first time since boarding the _Frozen Banshee_, Juvia cried.

* * *

><p>Gray stood beside the ships wheel on the upper deck of the stern, overseeing the dying embers of his crew's celebration. Men lay strewn about the deck with rum in hand, some face down and other barely hanging onto their seats. The sun would rise shortly and they would spend the next day in a hangover cleaning the mess they made while he and Natsu took stock of their loot, but not a man on his ship would complain. It was a small price to pay when everyone went full blast—as the men who came from other ships would say, better to celebrate and clean after than never be able to celebrate at all.<p>

Icebergs came into view on the horizon; Gray pulled the wheel to starboard to avoid the mass, but not out of fear. His expertise of sailing through the frozen northern waters is what kept himself and his crew alive. Naval ships rarely sailed this far north. If they did, Captain Fullbuster was able to out maneuver them until they sunk themselves. It was his calling card and what gave him his name. No one else in all the seas would dare sail a ship where Gray would.

Removing his hands from the wheel, Gray stepped back and leaned on the stern mast, eyes downcast. Just below his feet was the first woman to ever step on his ship; he had saved marooned passengers before, even ferried survivors of his attacks back to land—but never a woman.

Had he realized they were attacking a passenger ship, Gray may have chosen to steer the _Frozen Banshee_ in the opposite direction. Neutral ships were never a target, but the mistake had been made and his crew always saw themselves through to the end. They had taken as much care as possible to spare as many of the people on board as they could, leaving the lifeboats unaffected, but there were always casualties. Pirating was a harsh way of life, but the only one Gray knew or cared to accept. A life on land, under the ruling of corrupt governing powers and even more corrupt clergy, was not something he cared to be a part of.

At least at sea, everything made sense.

Once she had attacked Gajeel, there had been no other option but to take her with them. There were no more boats to take her from the wreckage, and the thought of a woman dying because of his error in judging the purpose of the vessel left a sour taste in his mouth. He was not the royal Navy. Gray didn't leave innocent women to die.

He closed his eyes, warding off memories he didn't care to reflect on. Not now, at least.

"That's not a normal look for you, Captain."

It was Loke, standing on the port side stairway from lower deck. Gray straightened, allowing a small grin to fall on his face. Loke took that as an invitation to continue onto the upper deck.

"Surprised you're not passed out."

"I am more interested in the beautiful woman you've locked up in your room." Loke responded. "How long are you planning on keeping her on the ship?"

"Worried she's going to come after you again?"

His expression soured. "Really Captain, I underestimated her. It's not like she's one of Erza's women—she took advantage of the situation."

Erza.

If there was another pirate crazier than Gray, it would be her. She made for a good ally, but the rest of the women on her ship—and the lone man, Jellal—all held some level of mania that struck fear into the most seasoned seafarers. A woman with no expertise in fighting taking on three of his men probably did belong with Erza aboard the _Titania._

"You want me to give her to Erza?"

"Hell no." Loke shuddered at the thought. "I think she is right where she needs to be for now. Women on your ship are bad luck, but we could use a pretty face—it's been a while since we've docked."

Gray felt his eyes narrow a bit. "That's why she's not in the barracks with you."

"I'm saying, lets dock soon, Captain."

Turning toward the navigation table, Gray glanced for their current location. A ship moved about the paper, marking their location as they drifted. He had handed over a lot of money for a lacrima map, which tracked their progress with magic and removed the need for a compass. The closest port was a four day journey to the east. It was a relatively neutral area, once they could stop by for a short time to sell what they had pillaged and restock the ship. It wasn't Torenju, which is where Loke most likely wanted to go, but it was good enough.

"Magnolia?"

"The least fun port you find." Loke smiled anyway, then tilted the bottle of rum in his hand and took a deep swig. "How long will we have to stretch our sea legs?"

* * *

><p>It was at the crackling of dawn when Natsu came up to relieve Gray. His first mate was drunk, but sober enough to direct the ship where it needed to go. By the time he arose from his cabins, the rest of the crew would be awake and active, Natsu would be between motion sickness and a hangover, and they would be half a day down on their path to Magnolia. Eyes heavy, Gray pushed open the door to his cabin and pulled his boots off.<p>

As soon as his pants hit the ground, he noticed a streak of blue hair peeking out from beneath the sheets on his feathered mattress. Juvia—at least he assumed that was her name, she kept talking about herself in third person—seemed comfortable enough. He hadn't forgotten that she was in his rooms, but the sight of her in his bed was still surprising. Didn't captives who were uncomfortable stay awake, or at least fall asleep in an uncomfortable place? Gray stepped toward the mattress.

He wasn't crass enough to climb in beside her.

He should just wake her up and make her sleep somewhere else.

A bruise had begun forming along the side of her face where Gajeel had pinned her to the deck of doomed ship she had been on, swelling about her cheekbone and jaw. She had been through more that day than he had, so despite his better judgment Gray let her be. He couldn't expect her to sleep anywhere other than a bed—she seemed civil enough that she likely had never known hardship or loss, having grown up on land and under the governance of the same people who had destroyed everything he had known.

Gray turned and headed for his small office, sitting the chair and propping his feet up on the desk. There were worse ways to sleep.

He needed to figure out exactly what he was doing with this girl. He wasn't going to give up his bed forever.


	3. In the Company of Pirates

**Author's Note:** Thank you all for your kind words! It inspires me to write more, and quicker! I'm bouncing my ideas off MizWrite every day, so I half consider this a collaborative work. I hope you like this chapter! It is so strange writing stand-offish Juvia toward Gray but it is necessary for the situation the characters are in.

**Seas of Change**

_**Chapter 3: In the Company of Pirates**_

Juvia awoke to a dull ache below her eye, along her cheekbone to the edge of her chin. Her muscles were sore and her body heavy beneath the thick woolen blanket. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up on the mattress, Juvia took in the room around her. With the creeping sunlight through the windows, the cabin seemed warmer than the one she remembered falling asleep in. The chill of the northern sea had still managed to creep inside, and Juvia pulled herself out of the bed to collect her dress.

The purple gown she had worn the night of the pirate attack was soiled and torn, but Juvia pulled it on anyway. The fabric sagged around her hips where it had split at the seam, dark stains running along the left side and along the front from her fall on the deck. Lace detailing peeled and Juvia counted three holes about the bodice and two large ones near the hem. It was in shambles, but she had worn worse.

Glancing once more about the room, she caught sight of a pair of boots and pants lying near the door and her heart jumped. She wasn't alone in the room, and had been so exhausted she hadn't heard anyone enter. How long had they been here—and what were they doing, naked in the room with her? Naked when she had been in nothing but—

A flush fell over Juvia's cheeks.

Did pirates have _no decency_?

She turned to her right, spying a pair of feet atop the desk in the attached room; Juvia hesitated before deciding she would never gain her footing in a pirate ship if she didn't enter the room and see who felt they had the right to enter the room of a sleeping woman. It was scandalous and barbaric, something rakish men did in the romance novels she would bring with her on her voyages. It was not that Juvia had no interest in those things, but there was not a soul on this ship she wanted to whisk her off her feet and into a night of devilish impropriety.

It would be so much easier to believe if the man who had snuck into the room wasn't so handsome. Juvia recognized the scars, despite the large feathered hat that sat over his face as he slept with legs propped up on the desk and torso leaning back in his chair. How could someone so terrible appear so vulnerable in his sleep? Did he not view her as a threat?

With hesitation, Juvia lightly padded the rest of the way toward the desk, cautiously eyeing to be sure he had something on below- she was relieved of that much. Despite the chill, his skin held no goose bumps and appeared a warm sun kissed golden, not purple or red as her own skin would turn when cold. Her eyes settled on the hat that covered his face, catching sight of something glimmering just behind him. She stepped closer before leaning up on her toes to see around him. The object floated above a golden base with an icy finish; her hand lifted over his body cautiously.

Magic?

Juvia felt herself falling before she noticed Gray's hand on her arm, yanking her off her feet and into his lap. She fell over him and the chair, struggling against his hold as she was assaulted with his scent—a mixture of sea salt and musk.

"Don't touch that." His voice was low and raspy, tinged with the grogginess of one awoken long before they were ready.

She placed her bandaged hand atop his chest, pressing away. Gray tilted his head back so his hat would slip from his face to atop his hair, eyes never leaving her face as she tried to pull away. His hold on her tightened as if to show her who was in control here-of the ship, of the situation—and that it was definitely not her. Had he truly been asleep?

"Then don't _you_ touch Juvia!" she stated, teeth grit as her eyes met his. There was a burning in her cheeks as she found her footing again and used that to pull off his body. "Especially dressed like that! How dare you enter Juvia's room when she was not properly dressed—and then sit around nearly naked!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Your room?"

"This is where you have Juvia locked. It must be her room."

"This is my cabin, and I don't remember inviting you into my bed. "He corrected, pulling his feet from the table top and standing tall before her. Gray saw the information process just behind her inky blue eyes, watched as the color of her skin turned from red to that of a bruised apple at the implications of his words. It was a low blow, he knew, but the comfortable way she moved about his rooms and reached for his things irked him the wrong way. He could forgive her sleeping in his bed but her entitlement would stop there.

Juvia stammered, feeling the heat on her face run through the rest of her body. "J-J-Juvia would never bed with you!"

"Good to know."

Gray narrowed his eyes a bit at the sight of her dress. He hadn't bothered with much aside from her splinters last night, but her clothes were in worse shape than the rest of her. The bruise on her face had swollen and grown an ugly green and black color, and yet all he saw was how her undergarments stuck out from the split at her hip. She seemed to be aware too as she reached to pull the tear closed; a gurgling noise escaped her at the same moment.

She was hungry. He felt his irritation ebb slightly. "The kitchen is below deck; go eat."

"Juvia wants nothing you have to offer."

"Except for my bed?"

The flush came to her face once again as he stepped around her and sat on the mattress she had occupied. Juvia could feel her hands fisting in frustration and mortification; not only had he pressed her into his body, but he had looked her over as if she were a common brothel woman. Despite his pleasing appearance, the captain of the _Frozen Banshee_ was not gentleman at all. Her stomach growled again.

"Juvia can't go out there like _this_."

Gray pulled a blanket over his head, signaling the end of the conversation. "My men won't touch you. If you don't go soon there won't be any food left."

* * *

><p>The sunlight was bright, reflecting off the ocean like a mirror. Juvia lifted a hand to shield her eyes, allowing the cabin door to slam rather loudly behind her. Her heart pumped rapidly in her chest as she stepped the rest of the way onto the deck. It appeared peaceful enough, and without having any shackles or limitations nearly felt as if she were on the ship willingly. Gray had a very different way of handling his prisoners than what she had heard pirates would do—dragging them beneath the ship by ropes, locking them away in the dampened cages on the bottom of the hull with no food or water for days.<p>

"Oi, you're up!" the cheerful voice came from above deck, the same pink haired man from the night before with a huge smile on his face. His face looked a bit green, and before Juvia could respond he was turning away from her to the side of the ship.

The noises he made were retched, though Juvia felt a small amount of satisfaction knowing he was suffering. It served him right not to feel comfortable, especially with so many people floating aimlessly at sea. He stopped, wiping an arm across his face before turning back to her. His smile was back in place, but much weaker than it had been.

"Ship moves too much, I get sea sick."

That caught her off guard. A pirate… who gets sea sick?

"You'll have to ignore Natsu." The voice came from her left, the orange haired pirate in glasses. "He doesn't know how to behave properly when a lady is around."

"Juvia doesn't think you do either." She let her eyes narrow a bit, her tone biting.

If it bothered the man, he didn't say anything. "We started off on the wrong foot, my dear. My name is Loke—and you are Juvia, correct?" he offered her his hand.

Juvia didn't take it, instead responding with a simple nod to let him know she had heard him. His eyes narrowed a bit before he reached out, hand brushing lightly over the sore side of her face; Juvia pulled back, but he moved forward with her.

"That looks bad, a woman as beautiful as you shouldn't have marks like that." He remarked with sympathy.

"Juvia has it because of all of you." She knocked his hand back and stood straighter, intent on letting him know he was not welcome to touch her. The familiarity he treated her with after attacking her on the ship was unnerving and unwelcome.

Natsu appeared at the bottom of the stairwell, shaking a slightly with his illness but holding fast to the banister. "Leave her alone, Loke. She's probably just out here to eat; not like you could get a lady to swoon over you; you smell like fish. Cover the wheel for me."

Walking toward her, Natsu motioned toward the helm where another set of cabins and a downward stairwell sat. He opened the doorway to the stairwell, waiting for her to follow him down. Juvia could feel apprehension building in the muscles of her back, waiting for someone to jump out of the woodwork and destroy her as the newspapers said pirates would do. At the end of the stairs was an open dining room where a few other men sat; Juvia stopped just outside, feeling Natsu move around her with more fluidity than when he had been on deck.

"You've gotta be starving, they'll make room." He grinned at her. "I won't let 'em touch you."

"Juvia can take care of herself."

"I heard. Loke's got a broken toe to prove it." He remarked, stepping inside and motioning for her to follow.

The dining room was sparse, with one large cherrywood table and sets of mismatched dishes, goblets and glasses. The serving plates were open and half devoured, a mixture of things Juvia wouldn't have dared to call a meal or even cooked—most of it was burnt beyond recognition, and the things that weren't had obviously been purchased and were turning stale. The smell of wine was strong, no sight of milk or fresh water about the area. Natsu pulled one of the nicer chairs out and brushed the seat off before offering it to her.

She was finding him difficult to dislike.

As she moved to take the seat, her eyes settled on a large man with long dark hair, piercing along his brow bones, nose, and forearms. He watched her with a gruff expression, one arm on the table and the other holding what was supposed to be a turkey leg just beyond his mouth. She recognized him easily enough as the one who had tackled her to the deck, and despite her heightened sense of alertness Juvia allowed her eyes to meet his and glared back.

If she had to stay on this ship, she wouldn't let them think they had gotten the better of her.

He smirk.

"Gihi." He turned to sit full at the table, both arms lying across the top from the elbows down. "You look like shit."

"Juvia feels fine."

He took stock of her face, turning his head slightly to get a better view of the bruising. "You smashed into the deck, surprised your face didn't break."

"Sorry to disappoint." She reached for one of the breads that appeared to be the most recently baked.

"I ain't, you're tough as hell. I respect that." He responded. "Never expected to find a woman who could fight like that—you need practice, but you're pretty good."

Was he praising her?

Juvia took a bite of the bread, finding that despite herself she was relaxing. Everything in her screamed to stay alert; she knew what the papers said, the crimes that caused pirates to find themselves at the gallows. They were rapists and pillagers, an enemy to all civilized life. They hunted for treasure and left not a single person alive. At times they even tore one another apart, dragged their enemies beneath their ships until drowned, hung the heads of their overthrown leaders from the mast ropes.

Pirates were dangerous people who knew nothing but the sea.

Yet, this ship was full of gentlemanly flirts, appraising ruffians, seasick first mates and a seemingly insufferable captain who spent his days half dressed or nearly nude in frigid weather. They appeared more a mismatched bunch who had no other place to go other than out to sea than the type of pirates all people were warned about.

Her face scrunched as she took in the flavor of the bread.

"Is this what you have to eat?" Juvia asked, setting the loaf down on her plate.

Natsu piled his plate high with blackened meat. "Yeah, not the best but none of us can really cook, and it's edible so it's easier just to pretend it's something from a tavern in Torenju."

"To hell with that, Gray needs to recruit a damn cook."

"It ain't that easy when we've got someone like you on board!"

"What was that Salamander?"

"You heard me rivet face!"

Juvia glanced between them, watching both men rise out of their seats, eyes flashing in challenge. They leaned over the table as if she were not sitting near them, their anger palpable. It had not taken long for them to rile one another up, almost as if it were on purpose. The lack of reaction from the others at the table caused her to believe this was not a rare occurrence on the ship.

"You wanna go?"

"Anytime!"

"Do you have a kitchen?" Juvia interrupted, setting down a piece of meat she had been hoping to find edible. The more she looked at the food on the table, the less hungry she felt.

Her question caught both men off guard, and they removed themselves from their place on top of the table. They glanced between one another as a final warning before either man took the motion to answer her question. Gajeel was the first to move, stepping around the table and motioning for her to follow him. Natsu nodded to affirm she should go, turning back to the table and reaching for the stale bread in front of him.

Juvia stood cautiously, following Gajeel through a small hallway to the kitchen. Did they allow all of their prisoner's free movement about the ship? Her senses screamed to remain on high alert, that at some point they would use this freedom against her. She hesitated, eyeing Gajeel warily before she stepped into the room.

He rolled his eyes. "Shit, I push you down once and I'm a bad guy now?"

"You're a pirate." She corrected, reaching for the first cabinet. It was full of spices, ranging from cinnamon to cardamoms and few she had never seen nor heard of. The next housed mismatched sets of pots and pans. "All pirates are bad."

"You shouldn't believe everything you read, missy." He responded, leaning against the wall opposite the stove.

Pulling the icebox open, Juvia found a decent array of fish and vegetables; she lifted a few before selecting what she wanted and setting them on a clean cutting board she located beneath the drain sink. She found a set of matches, and reached to add two logs to the fire beneath the stove, stoking it slowly with a poker. The flames caught after a few minutes and she stood again, turning back toward Gajeel before reaching for a knife.

She expected him to jump and tackle her for it, but instead he glanced toward the ingredients she had placed out with eagerness.

"You can cook?" his question was filled with awe and suspicion.

"Juvia has always been able to cook."

"Thought ladies like you had servants for that stuff." he glanced toward her. "Aren't you like… high class or something?"

Instead of answering, she turned back toward the cutting board and began to filet the fish. Behind her Gajeel moved, his footsteps bringing him beside her. She ignored him as best she could, pulling the best parts of the fish away from its skin and bones before rubbing it down with an array of herbs; the smell was already much better than the burnt food sitting just a room over. Juvia opened a cupboard above her, reaching for one of the pans on the highest shelf.

Gajeel took hold of it for her, and set it on the stovetop for her.

"Hey." His voice was gruff but oddly inviting. "You think you could cook some extra?"

Juvia looked in his direction. "Why would Juvia cook for you?"

"It's not like we get good meals on the ship." He said. "'Sides, you're unpredictable and I meant it earlier when I said you needed practice. I can train you to fight."

The confusion on her face was genuine. "Why would you train Juvia to fight?"

"If you're gonna be on the ship, might as well be useful. No one expects a fine lady to kick his ass."

She watched his expression, noting the subtle hint of hopefulness behind its rough exterior. This was the same man who had climbed ontop of her and slammed her face into the deck, the reason for the bruise that marred her cheek, and he was treating her as if nothing had happened. If anything, he seemed to be trying to make up for what had happened and was looking for a mutually beneficial situation to make up for it. Juvia glanced toward the meat and vegetables on the board.

There was more than enough for her.

The food the men had been eating up until that point was a terrible waste of good ingredients, and if she was honest… she was beginning to realize these men were not the terrible people that she was trying to paint them as. She had heard many stories growing up about the malice and evil that accompanied any ship flying a black flag, had read the reports made by survivors and the confessions of those condemned to the gallows. Maybe those on the _Frozen Banshee_ were not the same as other pirates, or perhaps they were not pirates at all.

It was difficult to blame what had happened on each one of them as individuals when they treated her with something bordering respect. When all was said and done, they were only acting upon a command from their Captain. If there was anyone she should dislike, it was him.

Juvia sighed. "I'm not as fine a lady as you think I am. Do you like root vegetables?"

He smirked. "Anything tastes better than what they're eating."

* * *

><p>When Gray awoke, the sun was high over his ship and his room had warmed considerably; in his sleep, he had lost his underwear and the sheets had flown off. He groped around until he found his pants, tugging them on over his nakedness and securing the belt with a swift tug. He padded to the door, pulled on his boots and stepped out shirtless into the lukewarm air. The deck was vacant of his crew, a sweet smelling aroma hitting his nose.<p>

How long had he been asleep? The sun was still too high in the sky for everyone to be eating, and Gray had never smelled something quite as enticing on his ship before.

Where Juvia was remained a distant concern; there were only so many places she could get to on the ship, unless she jumped off.

Opening the door to stairwell that lead to the kitchen and dining area, the smells of breads, aromatic spices and well cooked meat met him in a rush, along with the noise of his crew, piled within a room too small to house them all at once. His eyes narrowed slightly as he stopped in the doorway.

His men were having a feast that he was well aware none of them could have prepared, deep in their drunkenness and reaching for puddings, cakes, stews and soups—there were plates of well dressed chicken, sauces in bowls and cups alike, the men poured wine and cheered as a small body moved in reverse with another large plate, this one of fish dressed with julienned apples, red onions and cucumbers. Juvia turned and set the plate in front of Natsu.

"Juvia where did you learn to cook like this?" he asked, grabbing the topmost piece of fish. "We haven't eaten like this in weeks!"

"I told Gray she was exactly where she needed to be." Loke tipped his wine glass back, finishing it in one full chug.

The blue haired woman wiped her half bruised brow tenderly, expression soft and contented. "Juvia has been cooking her whole life, it's a hobby."

"Lucky for us!"

Her dress was still torn, but tied up at her side with what Gray knew was Gajeel's headband; her hands were covered in a pair of oversized gloves, but somehow despite the bruises, grime, torn clothes and sweat, she seemed an entirely new woman and one to be in awe of. For all of her dislike of him, she had managed to get his crew to not only sit at the table instead of fight, but had managed to feed them far better than any ship cook he could have hired.

How did a woman of her status know how to cook?

"Captain!"

The atmosphere in the room lost its warmth, but not for the reaction of his crew as they invited him in with mugs of rum and mountains of food. Gray's attention was centered on the blue haired woman at the opposite end of the room- covered in flour and dressed like a street pleaser—as her gaze and expression lost their relaxed, natural expression and instead became tight and cool. The rest of his crew was welcome there, but it was obvious he wasn't.

It wasn't often Gray felt like he didn't belong on his own ship, or with his own crew.

"You should let her be our cook!" came a cry from his left.

The rest of the crew responded with enthusiastic approval, cheering and toasting to her name, to her food, to the satisfaction of their stomachs. Gray glanced about them, and then back to Juvia whose attention had not left him for a moment.

He crossed his arms and leaned slightly to the side, attention focused solely on Juvia. "Would you want to?"

"Juvia will cook for them." She responded, the underlying message that she would not cook for him apparent in her voice.

Gray was finding he didn't like the way she challenged him; she was spirited and unique, but in front of his crew it was imperative that he show he was in control. She seemed to have easily found her place amongst his men, and if she were willing to work as the chef then that would effectively make her a part of the crew as well, and crew members did not live in the Captain's quarters. It seemed he could cure two problems at the same time.

"The cook sleeps in the kitchen."

He saw the expression in her eyes change, from anger to surprise. Gray knew he had regained control of the situation, and reached for a large piece of chicken off the nearest plate.

"When you're all finished, get on deck and prepare the masts. We're heading to Magnolia and this ship isn't going to steer itself."


	4. Magnolia

**Author's Note:** Wow! I am speechless, you are all so kind! I do need to warn you that this may be the last update until November; I am getting married in two weeks so my days are starting to become far busier with wedding related things and guests, and then I will be going on a two week honeymoon out of the country. Never fear, Seas of Change will continue on! It just may take a bit of time : )

**Seas of Change**

_**Chapter 4: Magnolia**_

"Try again." Gajeel stood across the deck, arms loose at his sides.

Juvia could see the lack of tension in his muscles while he watched her. Her joints creaked with her movements, unaccustomed to being forced into repeated violent movements for hours on end. Despite the aches in her bones she stepped forward and moved to tackle him. The attack was easily caught with a firm grip of his hand as his feet moved backward to poise a counter. She compensated by placing the weight of her body to her feet as he had shown, allowing her to take control of the force he applied and pull him out of his position.

For the first time since they began their lesson that day, Juvia felt Gajeel stumble. The excitement that filtered through her body boosted her confidence and solidified her determination. She didn't want to lose. She needed what he was teaching her- if nothing else, she could use what he had shown her to escape the ship when they landed in Magnolia.

Falling into a low crouch as Gajeel lumbered forward, Juvia pulled her body back to take him along with her. The movement caught him off guard and he overcompensated by twisting his body to the left; it allowed her to pull herself upright and hook her foot behind his. Their eyes caught one another as their bodies twisted, and she was sure she could see a satisfied grin on his face as he started to fall to his back. She knew she had won this duel.

Unfortunately, his leg tangled in the holes and extra length of her torn dress and Juvia went down with him. Bracing herself for a rough impact, Juvia was surprised to find her fall cushioned by a thick arm and half of a chest. He grumbled while she moved to sit up before doing the same himself.

"Gajeel-kun…"

"That was a hell of a move." He responded. Had he noticed Juvia's concerned expression, he didn't bother to comment on it. "But this dress ain't helpin' you at all."

She glanced toward the hem of her gown, Gajeel's leg tangled between three different holes and underskirt. Cutting the ragged ends off had kept her from falling, but the holes were still a problem. To think it had once been her favorite dress—now that it was in tatters, it was slowly becoming apparent that it nearing the end of its usefulness.

"Juvia has nothing else to wear." She responded.

Gajeel reached for the skirt, trying without success to untangle his foot. "Doesn't look like you're wearing it, looks like it's just hanging off your underwear."

Her face turned a furious shade of red; Juvia yanked on her skirt, hearing the fabric tear more before he removed his foot. "Gajeel-kun!"

"I'll lend you something for now." He offered. "It'll be big but it's better than rags with holes."

Juvia watched as he stood, following in the motion. This was their fourth day of training, and through their battles she had developed an unexpected kinship with Gajeel. He respected her desire to learn and pushed her limits, but in his own way he accepted her femininity and protected it. More than once she had overheard him taking a fellow shipmate to the side, not so subtly chastising them for glancing at her the wrong way or being too demanding when she cooked. In turn she made sure he had the best portions of the meals she prepared and listened to him recount previous battles and how he became a pirate to begin with.

If there was one thing Juvia had not expected, it was how someone could be so rough and angular and yet have an indisputable gentleness to him at the same time. He was not above treating her as he would any other member of the crew during a duel, but when it came to her modesty or what he called 'lady stuff' he was the first the jump in and push her toward ways of propriety.

She found herself smiling.

"Gajeel-kun, Juvia thought pirates preferred women with clothes half torn."

"Yeah, well, you thought wrong." He brushed her off, obviously wanting to end that discussion before it even started. "I keep tellin' you we ain't like you think we are."

"Juvia is realizing that."

He waited for her to stand, taking in the state of her dress once more. "Dammit." He placed a hand on her shoulder and steered her toward the barracks. "You're changing now, Lady Luck."

* * *

><p>Boxes of items were strewn about the storage room, and Gray stood in the dim light with a ledger in his hands. They had enough to trade in Magnolia and stay at sea for at least another month before hitting port again. The spoils from this season at sea included an array of delicate porcelain goods, a few magical items and lots of gold and jewels from the few merchant ships they had encountered. Natsu shoved one more box away as Gray marked a few more tallies under "Tradeable" and one under "Torenju".<p>

"Shit, this is heavy." Natsu turned from the ladder he was standing on, arms crossed. "Why don't you do this for a while, ice bastard?"

Gray glanced in his direction. "That's what I have you for."

His first mate growled a bit. "Oh yeah? Did you account for Juvia in your budget, or are you planning to let her off when we port?"

The paper in his hands had nothing on it including the woman on his ship. Gray frowned as he reviewed the numbers and allowed Natsu's words to roll about in his head. What exactly was he going to do with Juvia? The crew was partial to her by this point—her food was good and she made for a decent change in company. The dining area was cleaner than he remembered seeing it, and the ship smelled a hell of a lot better, though the stink of burnt fish and molded bread was hard to remove completely.

On the other hand, she was an extra mouth to feed that would not fight for him if the need arose. There was no denying the tension between the two of them; Gray was happier when she remained on her end of the ship and he on his own. It would be easily alleviated if he let her go in Magnolia.

Magnolia was very far from where her ship had been headed. Gray couldn't shake the feeling that leaving her there would keep her further from her home than if he kept her on the ship until they ported near Crocus. Her animosity toward him was warranted, as the mistake of attacking a civilian ship was his and that was what caused her to become their captive. He was doing the best he knew how to make up for that.

"Hey, can't we at least give her these?"

Gray turned from the book and back toward Natsu, who held out two blankets and a feathered pillow.

"What for?"

"I know you're a bastard, but I didn't think you left women sleeping in kitchens without something to cover up with. You're the only person on this ship who thinks 10 below is summertime. She's gonna end up freezing in there."

He waved Natsu off. "Give her what you think she needs. I haven't heard her complain."

"She's not like that." Natsu defended, grabbing an extra pillow. "It's not her fault you're an asshole. I wouldn't ask you for that kind of stuff either."

"Shut up."

Gray turned back to the ledger in his hands while Natsu snooped around. He didn't like to admit it, but Natsu was right. Juvia got under his skin in ways that made him do things he couldn't control. He reacted without thinking, cast judgment he questioned but could not back down from. They said women on a ship were bad luck, but it seemed the only bad luck Juvia brought with her was the shortness of his temper.

Above all else, Juvia was a lady who was unaccustomed to their way of life. A pirate ship was not a place she would feel comfortable, and her guard was up. Even as she began to form tentative friendships with the more easy going members of his crew, it was impossible for him to breech. He was not deserving and she seemed continually unforgiving, hardened by what she deemed a sin. Gray understood that, and a part of him respected it.

He snapped the book shut. "There's an extra feather mattress in the other room. She can have that too."

"I take it she's staying a while?" Natsu asked, the tone of his voice hinting at other possibilities that Gray had no patience for.

"I haven't decided."

* * *

><p>Juvia examined herself in the reflective bottom of a the nicest pan in the ship's kitchen; Gajeel's clothes were far too large on her, the sleeves rolled up to her shoulder to keep them from hanging, the pants and shirt tied tight about her with rope and belts with added notches. A potato sack may have been more flattering, but she couldn't deny she felt far more secure in the oversized clothes than she had in her shredded gown.<p>

Pulling her hair back with a strip of fabric from the now discarded dress, Juvia turned toward the cutting board in front of her. She promised the men a meal out on the deck that night, and since it was cold she decided to serve something that did not need to be cooked but was served fresh, paired with a warm ale.

She heard footsteps outside the door to the kitchen, which was not an unfamiliar sound. The crew would stop in time and again to request something of her for their meal that night. Juvia found she took a small amount of pleasure in seeing them smile when she presented the meals they asked for. As Gajeel had said, the men on this ship were nothing like she had heard. If anything, they were all men who needed a little care and reminder that they were just that—men. Not heroes, not pirates. Just men.

"Juvia?"

"Natsu-san?" she asked, setting the knife down and meeting him at the door. His arms were full with items positioned to fall; she took a few from him. "What is all this?"

"I figured you were getting cold in here, so I talked to Gray and found you some things." He answered, tossing a small feather mattress in the corner away from the stove.

Natsu reached for the blankets and pillows in her arms, tossing them over the mattress and arranging them into something that resembled a bed. He walked back out of the kitchen and returned with a small wooden bucket. Juvia took the pail, glancing inside and finding a small sliver of soap, a comb, and a cracked powder kit; she felt the smile tug at the corner of her lips. It had been cold and uncomfortable in the kitchen at night, and she knew how desperately she could use a small bath.

She set the bucket down and turned toward him. "Thank you Natsu-san."

"It's nothing." He pulled his hands behind his head, large grin on his own face. "I don't know how long you'll be with us, but you might as well be comfortable, right?"

"It doesn't seem that Captain Gray feels that way."

"Don't worry about him, he's an ass but it's because he cares. He's the one who told me to get you the mattress." Natsu answered, turning to see what she was making for dinner. "Only thing I couldn't find was some clothes."

She turned toward the makeshift bed he had created. Had that been Gray? There was a part of her that felt Natsu may have been stretching the truth. She had seen and heard little of the captain since he allowed her access to the kitchen but condemned her to sleep there as well. He took his meals in his own quarters, and was most often active at night while they sailed through the chilled waters of the Northern Fiore Sea.

"We're really doing the dinner on the deck thing, huh?"

Juvia nodded. "It's a clear day, why should we waste it in the dark?"

* * *

><p>The port of Magnolia bustled with traffic of civilians and questionable merchants; a ship guide directed the <em>Frozen Banshee<em> as near the dock as possible, catching her ropes and tying them of at strategically placed posts. Gray shrugged a white and black coat over his bare chest once the ship had anchored, tilting his hat slightly. The sounds of a city were vastly different than those of the sea and brought about a renewed sense of purpose for him and his crew; the excitement was similar to that of a ship raid, but for different purposes.

Despite their love of the ocean, there was no a man aboard his ship who was not excited at the prospect of stretching his sea legs. Gray descended from the stern's upper deck, adjusting the swords at his waist while he oversaw the movement of his loot from the lower levels of the ship to dock below. The man worked at a feverish pace to move all of the valuables to carts that would be escorted to specific merchants they knew to be friendly and fair to pirates.

"Captain," the voice belonged to one of Gray's deckhands, "should we wake the miss?"

He could feel the frown forming on his face. "She is fine where she is. I don't want her leaving the ship."

The boy looked confused. "We've never actually held a captive… captive before, sir."

That was a true enough assessment. If they did take someone from a ship they had attacked, Gray generally had them released as soon they reached port. They were treated with respect and left with their dignity; they were men who were well versed in the sea and knew their way about the cities they were left in. There had never been the concern of them not finding their way back from whence they came.

"She wouldn't be able to find her way from Magnolia to Crocus." Gray explained. "It's a long trip for a woman to make alone, she's better off on the ship until we get near her home."

Satisfied with the reasoning, the boy smiled. "Right—how many should stay behind to guard the ship?"

Gray could tell the boy wanted to be on shore, but there were always at least two deckhands and one of the officers that would remain behind. "Boatswain and three others should be sufficient. This your turn to walk, so tell Loke I said to pick a group of men to stay with him. He's to make sure Juvia does not leave the ship."

The boy scampered off with an "Aye Captain", and Gray continued down to the dock. Gajeel had already taken all of the iron and metals off to the blacksmith for repairs, Natsu was haggling with the rum merchant and a few other of his most trusted were hard at work pulling in the jewel and items they would need for their next foray at sea.

Turning down the main stretch of beachside boardwalk, Gray headed toward a special merchant whom he only ever dealt with in person. It was a sign of respect for the captain of a ship to arrive at her door, and per tradition Gray never failed to stop in with a unique piece for her trouble. The woman was a mage of sorts, advertised as a medium and fortune teller. Her shop was on the darkest corner of the brick-and-limestone walkway, sign insignificant among the grandeur of Magnolia's pier.

He pulled the door open, met with the strong scent of vanilla and lavender incense.

"Ultear."

The woman at the opposite end of the shop turned, long dark hair swaying with her movements. "It's been a while, Gray."

He moved to the nearest chair, lounging over it as if he were alone and etiquette mattered not. Ultear made no qualms about how he walked into her shop as if he owned it, instead focusing her dark gaze on the lines of his face.

"How's business?"

"Slow until a pirate walks in." she offered. "You brought something?"

Quick to the point; he wasn't surprised. Gray reached inside his jacket, producing a gold pocket watch with silver inlay. It fell into her palm neatly, warmer than a metal object should be. The spring to open the watch face required force but managed to open and expose the magical qualities inside. A map of the stars alighted the ceiling of the room, travelling quickly with the hands of the watch.

Ultear smiled. "You found it."

"It wasn't easy."

She walked toward a shelf behind the shop counter, placing the watch in its intended space beside a floating ice-like cube above its golden stand. "Time never is. It either holds things in limbo or destroys them. Yours is still working, right?"

Gray watched the ice-like item move before he closed his eyes. "How else would you have known I would be here?"

"The ice isn't just to keep an eye on you. My mother…"

"I know." He stopped her, leaning forward in the chair, elbows on his thighs. "I think about her every day. You've made a space for yourself here… is this really want you want, Ultear?"

"I won't be out to sea again." Her voice held a finality that left no room for question.

Gray sighed and stood up. "Ur wouldn't have wanted that. You lived and survived by the sea."

"And it was by the sea that she died."

"No." he turned toward the door. "Ur died because she protected us from the same people you're still hiding from, living in their shadow for protection. The Navy is your enemy, not the sea."

"Let me fight the battle from land. You can take care of the sea."

Gray stopped at the doorway, uncomfortable with the way they were parting. There was a level of bitterness between them he knew couldn't be overcome; if he had not been on the ship that day, maybe Ur would have lived. Ultear would not blame him directly, but the animosity was still there despite their promise to care for one another as Ur would have wanted.

"Why didn't you warn me about the civilian ship?"

His question was met with a moment of silence.

"It was a mistake, but you will be thankful in the long run. Just be sure you take care of the woman you rescued."

"Anything else I need to know?"

"You need to watch for the pirates she's truly scared of."

Without another word, Gray stepped out of the shop and back onto the ill lit portion of the boulevard, mind weighted with the meaning of her words. Taking care of Juvia was harder than it seemed. There was not much he was going to be able to do if he couldn't gain her trust the way the rest of his crew had. If he was completely honest, he was hesitant to get too near her. She brought out the worst side of him without trying.

He didn't like the unbalanced feeling he had when he near her, didn't like the idea that she was out of his reach, didn't like how she battled him for supremacy and yet required direction. Yet for everything he disliked, there was something that pulled him toward her, something that caused him to delay releasing her form his sight. She was a lady of high standing and his ship was not a place she belonged, dressed in the oversized clothes his crew could offer and without any of the luxuries she was used to.

What the hell had he been thinking? He should have directed his ship straight to Crocus instead of sailing to Magnolia.

Gray stopped, weighing his options. Maybe leaving her in Magnolia was not such a bad idea.

A young man pulled through the door in front of him, holding onto a parcel as he waited for a young woman behind him. She exited the shop with a smile as he handed the package to her and redirected her down the seaway. Gray watched them silently as they filtered through the rest of the crowd, a pair of bouys moving within the waves. The contented expression of the woman told him whatever the man had purchased had made her quite happy.

He turned and entered the shop, finding it filled with trinkets and gadgets only upstanding people would deem necessary. They stood in glittering fashion, crafted out of gold, bronze, silver, and mother of pearl, separated by function and price. Jewelry boxes, pill boxes, powder kits and stationary sets filled the shelves, set on display with strategic placement. As he rounded the tables and shelving toward the counter, Gray found his attention caught by lone sapphire plated box. It was closed, but the detail work on the outside felt familiar and comforting, reminiscent of waves and salt and wind.

"You like the music box, sir?"

Music box?

Gray picked it up, pulling the lid open. Seafaring music in a high pitch filed the room, pleasant and calming as the gears rotated, threads of copper producing music so long as the box was open and allowed for it. A music box was a useless item, but it was probably something that Juvia would have owned before she came to be on his ship.

A handful of jewel and multitude of tissue paper later, Gray stepped out of the shop and tried to convince himself he had not bought this as gift, but as a peace offering.


	5. Captivated

**Author's Note:** Whew everyone, I'm back! My wedding was amazing and the honeymoon was fantastic! For anyone interested in pictures, feel free to stop by my Tumblr or Twitter account (both linked to on my profile). Thank you all for your kind words and constructive suggestions! I hope you enjoy the new chapter, I had to split it in two due to length but you can expect Chapter 6 soon after!

**Seas of Change**

_**Chapter 5: Captivated**_

"Sorry love, I can't let you do that."

Juvia could feel herself bristling. Loke leaned across the doorway that lead to the upper deck, blocking the only pathway to freedom. Had it been just Loke, Juvia may have risked catching him off guard with one of the techniques she had learned from Gajeel, but two other men stood sentinel along the ascending stairwell. The sounds of Magnolia's harbor—a mixture of salesman, ship hands, vendors and softly lapping waves—echoed frustratingly beyond her reach. She stepped to the side and Loke set a hand to block the pathway further. It did not matter how she moved, he would adjust his nonchalant slouch and the opening would dissipate.

"Is Juvia only a captive when the opportunity for her to leave arises?" she asked, feeling her hands fist together.

Loke raised an eyebrow, the apologetic way he shrugged his shoulders doing nothing to lessen her anger. "You've been a captive the whole time."

"Why?"

The question appeared to catch him off guard; he blinked a bit, pushing his glasses up slightly. "Captain's orders. What other reason do we need?"

Captain's orders… everything fell back to the same man, and the mixture of emotions he brought with him. The men of his crew were human enough, but their loyalty to him seemed unjustified; how could someone so cold garner so much trust? She had created bonds with his crew as well, and the resentment that their sympathies toward her did not extend beyond Gray's rules both shocked and infuriated her. Then there was Gray himself, which was a subject she did not care to dwell on. The image of him lying half naked in his office jumped to front of her mind; she fought to squash it back to the corners.

Juvia could not fathom how any form of order could be had under rules where captives were treated as deckhands, placed on lock down only when they had the ability to escape. She had tried to make sense out of the arrangements many times, and found herself coming up with no resolution. In all honesty, she had been the one who agreed to begin cooking in exchange for lessons from Gajeel—but what else was she bound to do with herself on the ship? And why would Gray allow an enemy on his ship access to knives and other heavy objects that could be used as weapons?

The idea that she was no viewed as a threat irked her more with each day.

The contemplation on her face seemed to ease Loke a bit. "Now, that look isn't very becoming. A lady as beautiful as you… ease your mind. Why not enjoy the silence on the ship for a change?"

She opened her mouth to retort, but the sound of dozens of boots on wooden floorboards interrupted anything she could have said. Loke lifted a hand, the man closest to the exit standing to peak out the door. As it creaked, orders were shouted and the man moved aside. Loke hesitated in the doorway momentarily before moving backward with a wink.

"Maybe next time, love."

* * *

><p>Men filtered in and out of the kitchens with crates and barrels, stuffing the ice chest with enchanted ice that would not melt and meats that could keep for long periods of time with help of the magic. Dried spices and herbs were hung from hooks near the fire burning oven. Juvia moved about the center placed island counter, trying to wedge her way out of the room and closer to the staircase. The nearer she moved to the dining room, the more often items were placed in her hands and orders were given for where she was to take them.<p>

None of the items took her out of the kitchen. As the ship lurched, she knew they were keeping her as far from the top deck as possible while they loaded and left port. Juvia turned toward the doorway.

If she didn't do something now, she would be trapped on the _Frozen Banshee_. There was no guarantee another opportunity would arise.

Setting the last pack of items on the dining table, she pushed her way past the final pair of men carrying rice, potatoes and oranges. The stairwell was open. Juvia bound up the steps, listening as the commotion on land drew further away with each motion she took. Her pulse quickened as she crested the final step and burst onto the deck; the sounds were distant and Juvia saw water on all sides of her. Magnolia pulled further into the distance as she rounded toward starboard.

She could still see land, but the ship was fast. Juvia moved to hike up her skirts, forgetting for a moment she was in oversized pants and a loose shirt. All the better; if she was going to jump, she would need all the free range of motion she could get.

"Hey, Lady Luck!"

It was Gajeel.

Juvia stopped just as she neared the edge of the ship, at war with herself. It had been Gajeel, in his gruff nature and tough-as-nails exterior, that taught her how to do exactly what she was trying to do now. It was he who had taken guard over her modesty and defended her much like a brother. A bit of guilt crept in her chest. Would he be upset if she abandoned the ship, just like that? He had to know she had no intention of staying.

As Magnolia slipped beyond the horizon, she stepped back.

Had it been anyone but Gajeel, she would have jumped and risked the distance of the swim.

"Gajeel-kun." She turned, masking the disappointment with a smile. "Juvia was—"

He stepped forward with force, shoving a yellow wad of cloth in her face. She stumbled a bit, pulling the fabric from her chest to see what exactly it was he was trying to offer; it was a dress, with puffed sleeves, white buttons and lace trimmings in a size she was sure was a bit too large.

"You can't wear my stuff all the time so… I thought you might need one."

To be fair, it was not the most beautiful dress Juvia had seen, a bit young for her but cute in its own way. She turned to view the back, pulling it toward her body to let him know she accepted the gift. Gajeel crossed his arms, sideways smirk erupting on his face.

"Gihihi. Looks good, Lady Luck."

"Juvia thinks—"

"That thing's hideous! You suck at picking out women's clothes, iron brain." Natsu came across the deck, holding out another bright red dress in Juvia's direction.

"It's not hideous!" Juvia defended, because really… it wasn't _hideous_. It just wasn't fashionable. That didn't mean it wasn't useful. She glanced toward the red dress Natsu held out, noticing it was almost the same design but with a split skirt.

Gajeel growled and stomped toward Natsu. "What was that, Salamander? Look at the dress you got! Red? She has blue hair!"

"So? Red and blue look good together! Better than yellow and blue!"

"The sun's yellow and the sky's blue at least it makes more sense!"

"You're just jealous the dress I bought was better!"

"How do you even know what a dress should look like?"

Natsu tossed the dress, and Juvia stumbled to catch it while the two sailors sized one another up. The rage in Gajeel's face and smugness on Natsu's told her this was not going to end well; she had seen these expressions often enough to know it didn't matter how petty the argument was, it would end in a fight and both of them would be the worse for wear at the end. It seemed to be a tradition on the _Frozen Banshee_ to fight over anything, then sit down to laughter, drinks and merriment over dinner right after.

Holding both dresses tight in her arms, Juvia moved to intervene.

"Gajeel-kun, Natsu-san…."

"You wanna say that again?" Natsu's expression had changed. "Say it to my face!"

"I said you can't know what a woman wears if you've never had one!"

Natsu burst forward, fists flying; Gajeel caught them in time and the struggle continued. Juvia stood to the side, watching them exchange insults and blows across the deck, up the stairwell, over the steering deck. It would only be a moment before the remainder of the crew would begin wagering their bets on the winner, cheering from a safe distance as the two officers battled along the deck. She glanced toward the gowns in her arms, then toward the ocean lined horizon and where Magnolia had been.

For some reason, the anger at missing her chance to escape was more a dull ache than the blazing urgency it had been.

Juvia turned back toward the stairwell, moving toward the only space that was at times her own. The lower deck was silent compared to the commotion above. If anyone was below deck, they were not near the kitchen. She stepped into the dining room, holding the dresses close to her chest while maneuvering about the cramped space so she could enter the kitchen.

She pushed the door open, expecting it to be just as empty as the rest of the lower deck. Instead she found Gray standing by the island.

Juvia stopped, taking in the conflicted expression on his face and the swiftness with which he turned at the sound of the door. It was incriminating, and her lack of trust for him only heightened the sense. They stared at one another without words. What could she say? It was his ship. He was liable to appear where he wanted, when he wanted. They exchanged no pleasantries, avoided one another with the intensity of oil and water, and yet they were alone and drowned out by the fight's commotion.

She fidgeted, palm sweating as she removed it from the door.

"Did you need something from Juvia?" she asked, struggling to keep hold of his gaze. The way he looked at her was heavy with things she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"No." he answered shortly. "I was making sure you were okay."

That caught her off guard. Hesitantly she inched her way into the room, setting the dress on the mattress she had pushed into the corner. Natsu had said Gray told him to bring it to her. Her fingers twitched, heart suddenly pounding. Juvia couldn't figure him out, and that frightened her.

"Juvia would be better if she had been released at port." She didn't turn around.

Behind her, Gray shifted; the sound of his clothing rubbing together, boots pressing damply into the wooden flooring, the swishing of his unbutton navy blue coat, the exposed skin beneath- Juvia's face flushed bright red. Her body anticipated his response but it never came. There was a moments silence before the flooring creaked with his weight and the sound of the door closing behind him. She let out a sigh, holding her hands close to her chest to calm the racing beat inside before she turned.

It was then she noticed the parcel sitting on the counter wrapped neatly in tissue paper and tied crudely with a piece of fisherman's twine. It hadn't been there when she walked in; that part of the counter had been clearly visible despite Gray's form blocking part of it from view. With caution she lifted it and pulled the paper away layer by layer.

* * *

><p>Gray stomped up the stairwell to the main deck, past the throngs of men collecting their winnings from the now ended fight, through the door to his cabins, and stopped only once he made it to the center of the room. His eyes bore holes into the floor. What the hell had that been? He could feel his blood rushing along his temples, swirling in his stomach, reaching to all of his extremities. He just dropped a package off in the kitchen, but once she entered it was as if he treaded into a space that was hers—an area of his ship that did not belong to him.<p>

Maybe his attempts to avoid her had done more damage than good. The haste in which he retreated had not been out of guilt for trespassing in her space. If he was honest, it was out of confusion over the way her gaze had triggered an immediate raise in his temperature; it took all he had to stay dressed up until this point. Her voice hadn't helped matters. Keeping her at a distance was supposed to remove the problem of her catching him off guard and getting under his skin. The problem had only intensified; the site of her had drawn out things Gray knew better than to feel.

That didn't mean he could stop it once it happened.

He needed to get her off his ship before he did something that couldn't be taken back or covered up with anger and tense interactions.

Gray stalked to his desk, tossing aside the jacket he had been wearing and rolling his shoulders to welcome in what little chill was in the air. They weren't quite in the arctic waters yet, but in a few hours the temperature he was used to would bleed through the poorly insulated walls and at least that would be one thing that would feel right. It was out of the way to sail in the polar regions, but ironically for them it was the safest. No one would follow them into the ice fields. They could traverse the waters with his expertise and chose their targets from the enchanted navigational map he had purchased from Ultear years ago. They just need wait for a ship to appear within the radius the map could sense.

He leaned against the desk instead of sitting in the chair, eyes settled on the glowing, rotating object that connected him to the false soothsayer of Magnolia. It hung suspended, warm to the touch but never melting, a steadfast reminder. Ur died on that hunk of ice; they only had a part of it as Ultear's spell had required something of equally grave value to both of them in order to form the magic connection that allowed her to keep track of him.

Gray closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh, feeling himself center again. He was a pirate because of what happened on that iceberg, and he knew better than to let someone close enough to be hurt the same way.

The noises outside had died down, replaced with some repulsive noises Gray was familiar enough with to know was seasickness. He would have to get someone to clean up after Natsu and Gajeel later.

Right now he needed a drink.

* * *

><p>It took Juvia a few days before she finally concluded that she could neither make sense of why nor could she deny that the item Gray had left behind was intended for her. She had attempted to return it and it would end up back where she had found it the first time; she would question the crew, and no one seemed to recognize the piece. On the third day she tried to approach Gray to return it, but he seemed to sense her and kept himself busy with ship inspections, navigation, or inventories to keep her at bay.<p>

By the end of the week, she gave up. It was meant for her, and he didn't seem to want the item back or to discuss why he had given it to her in the first place. As she lay upon the mattress well after dark, room illuminated by an oil lamp that sat on the floor beside her, Juvia held the intricately carved sapphire box and hesitated opening it. The glass and gold detailing reminded her of the sea at sunrise, it's most calming time right before the sun warmed the air enough to be considered temperate.

Juvia had never owned something so exquisite.

With deft fingers she tilted the lid back, a mermaid lifting inside the box along with the haunting, seafaring music the tines of copper created as the gears pulled into motion. A small light glimmered behind the mermaid spun on her mother-of-pearl tail, a secondary chorus sounding as the tune completed its rotation and began again. Juvia's eyes closed as she listened to the sorrowfully hopeful tune; she knew the words of the song from the children at the orphanage. They would sing it as if it were any other nursery rhyme, with giggles and shouts of joy.

It was comforting.

She moved to close the music box, interrupted as the ship violently shook with the force of what sounded like a blast; Juvia cradled the box as the room quivered. The explosion occurred three more times before she heard the rushing of boots across the deck, the shouts of the crew and Gray's voice heralding the on. Juvia was up, the music box stashed safely away, and out the kitchens in her yellow dress, bounding quickly up the staircase. Sailors filtered past her without a second thought.

"Natsu, the cannons!"

"I'm already fired up!"

"Gajeel—ready the weapons."

"Give the word!"

Juvia burst onto the main deck into the middle of the foray, men collecting their weapons and hooting their approval for the upcoming battle. The ship moved again with three more consecutive cannon blasts, Juvia losing her footing and falling flat onto the deck. She lifted her head, her eyes scanning for someone who would listen to her. Were they under attack? Catching sight of a pair of boots on the port side of the ship that stood still against the motion, she glanced upward while pulling herself into a seated position.

Gray stood fiercely solid against the movements of his crew, sword lifted high, feathered hat upon his head. His expression was commanding and domineering, voice fierce as he directed the crew to their positions. The jacket he wore billowed in the ocean spray as the ship lurched toward port and he stood tall, sturdy, at the ready in the trails of moonlight the filtered from nightmare clouds high in the sky. Juvia found she was in awe, warmth enveloping her body and pulling a deep flush along the exposed parts of her neck and chest.

At this moment, he was more than she ever realized he was.

"Loke, sharp!"

The ship turn at a startlingly quick pace, men preparing themselves to leap from the _Frozen Banshee_ to whichever craft lay in the inky depths of midnight. Juvia struggled to her feet and regained her posture just as Gray gave the command to infiltrate. Her adrenaline began pumping as the crew bellowed their war cries, finding herself racing to the edge of the ship and past Gray. The ship they had opened fire on was already slowed by two damaged sails, an Imperial Navy flag flying in tatters. They were close enough Juvia could stretch two lengths of her own arm to touch the hull.

"Stop!"

The words were out of her mouth before she knew who she was speaking to, reaching to the first shipmate within her grasp and stopping his motion to the other ship. He glanced at her in confusion before shaking her off. Juvia scrambled, looking for someone who would listen to her; why were they doing this? They just restocked at Magnolia, did they truly need to attack an Imperial ship?

Her hands landed on Gajeel, yanking him away from the crew he directed.

"What the hell?"

"Why are you doing this?!" her voice was urgent. "It's pointless!"

"You don't understand anything, do you?" He shrugged her off. "We're pirates, Lady Luck."

"You just filled your ship with supplies! What are you going to get out of this?"

"This one ain't about that." Gajeel growled, lifting himself atop the ships side. "This one's personal."

She stepped back as he pressed off, swinging away into the murkiness of war. Juvia turned back toward the few remaining members of the crew who were on board, directing the flow of weapons. Gray stood on the edging of the ship, giving his final commands to those who would remain in support on the ship. His eyes swept the deck once more before landing on her.

Juvia narrowed her own in response, feeling the look of distaste growing about her lips. He made no response, simply dipped his head and motioned for the crew to take her away. She didn't go away simply or calmly, kicking and fighting, demanding answers. They dragged her across the deck from the battle, and as the room they closed her in shut she was as Gray disappeared into the darkness.


	6. Tale of Misfits

**Author's Note:** Thank you for your kind words! Just as a reminder, this story is supposed to read similar to a romance novel, and it IS based off the book Juvia read in my story _Guilty Pleasures_ per request of MizWrite/Squisherific (congrats to those of you who made the connection!). It is intended to read with very thick tension and fast paced, unpredictable romance. Be prepared!

**Seas of Change**

_**Chapter 6: Tale of Misfits**_

That night, the celebration aboard the _Frozen Banshee_ was beyond anything Juvia had seen; the men burst into her kitchen, enamored with drink and craving for a feast. She found herself tossed about the room, pushed in differing directions with their drunkenness and demands for breads, cakes, meats and rum. The space filled up quickly with the smells of sweat, blood and alcohol, Juvia pressed uncomfortably close to the counters as they pressed food toward her.

"Make the breads!"

"Damn the bread, the meats! The meats!"

There was _blood_. Had they killed tonight? She had not been released from the small containment room they had locked her in until the battle had ended, smoke billowing from the neighboring ship as the sailor came forth. From there she was escorted back to the kitchen she called a room.

Juvia steeled herself and glanced the three men in front of her directly in the eye with a stare she was unaware she had; the anger bubbling beneath her skin, easily seen with the way it drew forth and patched her face with red. "Juvia does not cook for murderers!"

The man on the right slammed his rum down, splashing about the countertops and floor. "Then get outta the way, woman!"

They flung her from the room, men lifting and touching her in ways she had never been touched before, lifted high above so they could filter her out quickly over their heads. She was dropped to the floor once they had her in the dining room; Juvia caught herself a bit haphazardly, feet slipping with the dampness brought from naval warefare. Half the men were sea soaked and they brought that along with them without much care.

It had been a long time since she felt this cold toward the crew. The captain had always been one thing, but the utter joy they took in destroying lives and the fight was a lust she could not appreciate. The calm on the ship in the few weeks since her capture had eluded her from their true qualities, and a stone set in her heart. They were no different than she had heard all her life. What qualities had she believed she was seeing in them all this time?

They were just pirates.

"Lady Luck!" Gajeel lumbered toward her, ignorant of her mood, an arm draping around her shoulder as he steered her toward the table. "It's time to celebrate!"

A mug of ale sloshed toward her; Juvia hit it with the back of her hand, sending it flying into the wall. Instead of the quiet an act like that would cause on a normal day, the men shouted their approval and handed her another drink. She jerked out of Gajeel's hold, looking for an out from the dining hall. Every step she took another glass was pulled her way, more hands tried to pull her toward the table, more requests for food.

"Hey, hey…" Gajeel followed the trail she made through the deckhands, turning her toward him. "Don't be like that. Is this about earlier? Damn women are difficult…"

"Do not touch Juvia." There was ice in her voice, liquid and toxic.

"I was goin' to apologize." He pulled his hands back and crossed his arms. "You're making it damn hard."

"Juvia wouldn't accept it." She bit back. Despite the anger, she could feel the sting of tears at the corner of her eyes.

Betrayed—out of everyone on the ship, she thought Gajeel would understand that this was not something she approved of and would help to keep her from being drawn into it. She understood it was in his nature to find a thrill in a fight, but the lack of remorse that should have come with the blood upon his clothes, the way he wanted her to join in the revelry... it hurt. The tears were stubborn and she lifted a hand to wipe them away, the motion quick and full of rage.

His loyalty to Gray was stronger than the bond they had developed. She had been a fool to think differently.

He straightened, eyes narrowing. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"What is there for Juvia to understand?" she opened her mouth to continue, but another pair of hands pulled her from the shoulders up atop the table. Gajeel grunted and turned away toward the kitchen.

It was Natsu, pulling her into some sort of dance across the wooden table top to the men on the opposite side of the room. He swung her around by her arms, tilting her down into the space of the sailors as they lifted their drinks, hooting and chanting. They offered her drinks, suggested she come below deck before the others would knock them over the head. They sang songs, some of them played instruments as crudely as the others sang to bring about the beat she found herself spinning to upon Natsu's command.

The anger she felt for their reason of celebration slowly became overrun by the embarrassment of them wanting to include her.

Once Juvia reached the end of the table as Natsu spun her away from him, she stumbled to recover her footing. The men about her moved to catch her fall as if they anticipated it with the tone of the music and it was all part of the game. Instead of falling, a warm pair of hands reached about her waist with a tight hold and plucked her from above their heads. If the men noticed, the drunkenness and arrival of hastily made food distracted them as the man holding her swept her out of the room and up the stairwell.

She watched from above his shoulder as the door to the dining hall closed, shutting off the better part of the noise before they entered onto the main deck. Juvia lifted her hands to fight him off, but her feet met the floor and he had moved away from her before she could do anything. A large coat billowed about him before he walked from her toward the steering deck and she was left alone in the chill of the evening.

* * *

><p>He wasn't sure why he did that, but her body was soft and small in his hold and Gray would be lying if he said it hadn't felt nice. The frustrated patches of red on her apple rounded cheeks and the glistening of tears in the corners of her eyes as she fought of the merriment of the crew, refused their drinks, the anger in her face toward Gajeel—all of it told him that she needed to be out of the room. It was a feeling he could understand.<p>

So he removed himself from the corner he had been observing his crew in and pulled her out of the celebration and into the frigidity of the arctic air. He stepped away from her and toward the steering well, ascending the stairs in a slow manner. They had taken a bit of cannon fire, but nothing that had caused irreparable damage to the ship. One had gone through the main mast which would slow them until it could be patched, and another had rolled just across the top of the steering deck. Floor boards poked up in all directions, but the wheel was still in place. So long as the ship was not taking on water and they could direct it, it was in as good of shape as ever.

Gray was four steps from the top when he heard her padding toward him across the deck.

"Why?" she cried, the anger apparent in her voice. "Why are you doing this?"

He continued his ascent. Maybe bringing her on deck had been a bad idea; better for her, but more trouble for him as he could sense the fire building within her. Her feet pounded up the stairwell behind him as he took hold of the wheel and redirected their path. They would have to land in Torenju earlier than expected for repairs.

"Those men do not have to be killers and yet when they follow you that is exactly what they become!"

Gray stiffened at the sound of her voice and accusation; his men were not killers, and as quickly as his instinct told him to defend his crew another told him he had no reason to justify what they did to this woman. Juvia would not be on his ship forever. Her judgment of them did not matter regardless of how it bothered him. He glanced in her direction, taking in the way her hair lay half pulled back and falling out in unexpectedly attractive angles, skin flushed and her chest heaving visibly at the exposed neckline of her gown. Juvia's eyes were direct and fiercely beautiful, commanding a response from him to he was wary to offer.

"Juvia does not understand you. Everything you do and the power you have over your men, how you can be so cold and distant and yet they follow you as if you are a savior." She grit out, the frustration building in her shoulders as she drew closer to him. "Why would someone who commands the destruction of ships, takes people captive and holds them in the hulls of his deck—how is that the same man who pulls splinters from the hands of his captives?"

He turned away from her; looking at Juvia was dangerous. Did she not realize that everything she said about him—the way he could be distant and yet he commanded power—was the same thing she seemed to do to him? She pointed out the inconsistencies without caution toward how he would react, as if she felt entitled to displaying the flaws in the image he had presented her.

"You let Juvia cook in your kitchen, you let her use your knives and train to fight. You give Juvia all of these freedoms but refuse to let her go? You command her blockaded in the-"

He closed his eyes. "Magnolia is nowhere near Crocus. Would you have known how to get back?"

"Juvia would have found a way."

Gray allowed them to slip in silence; she was headstrong and determined, but he could tell she knew little of the world he did. She had most likely grown up in a large family estate with people who could pay to get her from place to place—perhaps her father was an entrepreneur with contacts in Magnolia, or her mother's sisters lived there and it was her family that lived abroad.

The silence stretched to the point Gray was sure the conversation had ended, but Juvia's voice broke through as he maneuvered the further into the ice fields.

"Why did you give Juvia a musicbox?"

"I thought it would remind you of home." He responded too quickly for his liking. "Women of society like frivolous things."

It was her turn to be silent; Gray waged the atmosphere. She was far enough away that he couldn't feel her warmth, but the way her breath condensed the air with steam was still noticeable in his peripheral vision. The color of her gown contrasted with her surroundings enough to garner his attention; he could place her, imagine the way she was looking at him.

"Is that what this is?" Juvia asked, her voice suddenly rising in tone. "You think Juvia comes from a rich family, who is hoping for her safe return? You think Juvia has people who love her enough to pay you handsomely if you bring her back to Crocus?"

Gray turned his attention from the sea and instead to her as her voice lost its hints of restraint; her hands were fisted at her side in a way he had not seen since the night he attacked her ship and she attacked his men. Blue hair cascaded over her shoulders where it had come loose from the tie, while her eyes focused on the floor. The air was cold, but in that moment Gray knew the tension between them was not. It was blazing.

"That is what Juvia is to all of you—a ransom?! Juvia is nothing!" she lifted her head.

He couldn't look away. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, angry and resentful in contrast to the depths of loneliness he could see echoed in her expression. Her teeth grit together, lips opened and fighting to form between a snarl and quivering frown. A small, half hearted chuckle erupted before she reached to wipe the water from her cheeks.

"Juvia grew up in an orphanage! She has no family and no one to worry about her if she is gone! If a ransom is what you want Captain Gray, you will be sorely disappointed. No one wants Juvia enough to pay to get her back!"

She was crying, and suddenly everything Gray thought he knew about her crumbled apart and exposed her for what she truly was. "That was a vacation vessel meant for high societal guests…"

"Juvia still lives at the orphanage, and she was on her way back from bringing children to families they may have never had the chance to have if she did not escort them." The tears were slowly, but she maintained eye contact as she spoke. "That is what Juvia does. That is who Juvia is."

* * *

><p>She could see the conflict etched upon his face. In that instant, Juvia was sure she was as near to hating another person as she had ever been. All the kind acts of the crew, the provisions they had provided for her—all of it had been with the expectation of getting everything back a hundred fold. She was an avenue to income, a pawn and anything but a threat. She was a way for easy meals and entertainment.<p>

The sounds of the ocean calmed her only slightly as the moonlit hide behind the clouds. The darker it grew on the deck, the colder the air became and the more Juvia wished to remain rooted to the place she was.

Now that she was worthless to them, what would Gray do with her?

"We're all orphans."

Gray's hands tightened on the ship wheel before pulled it sharply to starboard. Juvia wobbled with the movement of the ship, taking hold of the banister to kept her balance as the vessel turned sharply in the direction Gray wanted.

The word orphans drew an unexpected ping of guilt in her heart. "All of you?"

"Look around at the men in my crew—who would spend their life at sea if they had something to go home to?" he asked. "I don't need to justify to you what we do, but none of us would be here if we did not have a reason. Where would any of us fit on shore?"

"There has to be something else you could be doing…"

He shook his head. "You don't understand."

"Stop saying that!" Juvia could feel the anger building up again—it had been the same thing Gajeel told her. "Juvia understands more than anything what it is like to have nothing, but she has found a way to get by—"

"They were killed."

She stopped, noticing only then that she had stepped close enough that she could touch him if she wanted, could feel his warmth. When she expected a sharp expression on his face, Gray appeared calm and reserved. The way he handled the ship wheel told a different story than his face, knuckles white and skin creased with the pressure of his grip.

Juvia's voice softened. "Who was killed?"

"Our families—Natsu and Gajeel remember their fathers stowing them away in a trap door under the floorboards and the way their mothers begged and the sound of their bodies hitting the floor. Loke grew up well to do until his family was killed and he escaped into the streets. Everyone here has a story and a reason to do what we do." Gray continued. "They say they are there to protect, but all they do is kill to get what they want. Have you ever wondered why we were able to port in a city like Magnolia? It's corruption."

"What about you?" she asked the question before she thought better of it.

Gray was silent, a sneer growing at the corners of his lips. There was a glean in his eye she had seen before, the one that allowed him to command his men in a way that had them falling in line with desire to succeed, defeat and destroy. It was anger like she had never felt, hatred she had never known. It affected her in ways she couldn't understand, an underlying fear that drew forth a need to run and a compassion that told her she needed to stay.

"They weren't my real family, but they were all I had." He said. She could tell the words were hard for him to say, but he continued. "Ur ran a fishing business her husband had begun before he died. She already had a daughter but she took me in, the same as she had Lyon. She was strict but she was a good teacher and we became a family out on that boat. The Navy attacked, our boat crashed into the ice fields."

Juvia found herself glancing toward the water, eyeing with new found wariness the close proximity Gray sailed his ship to the icebergs, almost as if he were challenging them to take him down. She knew from the men that Gray felt safest in the ice fields, where no one would follow them and only he was able to direct a large vessel. Now she was beginning to understand why.

"They wouldn't follow us, but they kept shooting even as Ur was pulling us off the boat and hiding us in the icebergs. She was three times before she got us all to safety. She died on the iceberg and they never came to claim a prize." He ground out the words, his anger growing. "They had no reason to attack, it was for sport and Ur was their prize."

It started snowing and the wind picked up, rocking the ship enough that Gray had to reassert his control over the direction it moved. Juvia found in the same moment that her understanding of Gray and his crew had been exactly as Gajeel had told her—wrong. They were not what she thought they were, bloodthirsty and vile. They were men without a home, wronged by the people that were supposed to protect them. Where were they supposed to live, other than at sea where they could be freed from the rules of an establishment they despised?

Juvia neared him and hesitantly set a hand on the ship wheel. "How did you get off the iceberg?"

"A pirate ship came near enough and took us in exchange for deckhand duties. We had the skill and the strength, and we stayed with them for a few years until the mutiny. Lyon took over the ship. Ultear chose to live on land and refused to go to sea again. I took one of the flagships and found my own crew."

"You took them all in then… all of the men?"

Gray nodded.

He had told her they had to do this in order to survive, and Juvia found she was beginning to understand why. She was alone and had made some semblance of peace with that, but Gray had instead pulled the seemingly misfit men together to create a new home and family, one that was held together by the same ideals and similar circumstance. His men followed him because he gave them what they needed—a place to fit in, a life free from the governance that had wronged them. He created the opportunity to live freely. He had saved them and given them the same chance that Ur had given to him.

Juvia lowered her eyes as the wind picked up, shivering as the snow and wind increased. Goosebumps grew along the exposed skin at the hems of her dress, but she stood still as she analyzed the stories Gray had told her.

"It's too cold for you to be out here." Gray's voice was deep and directing, similar to the tone he had used when she found him half naked at his desk.

She shook her head. "Juvia likes the sea at night; it helps her think, and right now Juvia needs to think."

"You're shivering."

"Juvia is fine."

Gray let go of the wheel, reaching for the few clasped buttons at the top of his coat. The coat came off in the same movement, and before Juvia could protest Gray had set it about her shoulders. Standing face to face to him, close enough to feel his breath on her skin as he attached the top two buttons to hold the blue and gold jacket in place over shoulders, Juvia found herself warming in ways that had nothing to do with the added clothing.

He moved slowly, remaining in her space with his eyes focused on what he was doing. Juvia could smell the salty scent of the sea, sweat and wood on his skin, noticed how it remained undisturbed by the cold. Without his jacket his chest and back were fully exposed to the snow and wind, yet it was as if the heat he produced was strong enough to repel the affects of the chill. Juvia's eyes, in spite of herself, took in the muscular motions in his shoulders, the tautness of his neck, the angle of his chin—

She had not noticed his hands had stopped moving, had not noticed the way his gaze moved from the buttons to the expression on her face—she noticed nothing until he had already dipped in their lips were touching.

The kiss was soft and he held her in place, his hands shaking as if he were prepared to stop her if she were to turn away. Instead Juvia found her eyes closing and her lips responding to the motions of his own, hands lifting to touch any part of him she could manage a hold of. Her fingertips brushed along his abdomen before she felt him pull her away.

She caught the look of shock on his face as he let her go, the quick way he turned his attention back to the sea, the stiffness in how he held himself. Juvia's hands filtered toward her lips, to the fire in her stomach the kiss had caused.

"Gray…." His name fell of her lips with a tenderness she didn't realize she felt for him. He twitched.

"You should go below deck." This time it was not a suggestion, it was a command. "Now."


End file.
